StrongWomen Newsletter
Issue 114, March 2008
I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it – but please credit strongwomen.com for the information and don’t change the content.
By Miriam E. Nelson, PhD
Author of
Strong Women Stay Young
Strong Women Stay Slim
Strong Women, Strong Bones
Strong Women Eat Well
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
The Strong Women’s Journal
Strong Women, Strong Hearts
Strong Women, Strong Backs
Founder of www.StrongWomen.com
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
- Live More, Live Longer
- StrongWomen Give Back
- Upcoming StrongWomen Workshops
- Reader Questions and Answers
- How do I measure a portion of protein?
- Should I continue to increase the amount of weight I am lifting?
- Success Stories
- Recipe– Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos
MOVE MORE, LIVE LONGER
It is no surprise - being physically active is good for you. However, it is not completely clear what type of physical activity is best. Based on a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it seems that the type of activity isn't what is important - it is simply important that you are active.
Three-hundred and two older adults aged 72-82 participated in a study looking at the relationship between energy expenditure and mortality. Scientists measured each participant's total energy expenditure (i.e., the total number of calories used by the body) over a two week time period. The number of calories that each person needed just to stay alive was individually figured and subtracted from their total energy expenditure. This allowed the scientists to determine each participant's total free-living activity energy, or more simply, all of the calories that each participant used to do activities above and beyond breathing, eating, etc. It is important to note that the scientists didn't know what type of physical activity the participants were doing, they simply knew how active they were. The calories could have been spent running, dancing, or raking leaves; it didn't matter.
The participants were divided into three groups based on their calculated free-living energy expenditure. People who used less than 521 calories per day for free-living activities were in the 'low' group, people who used between 521 and 770 calories per day were in the 'middle' group, and people who used above 770 calories per day were in the 'high' group. The participants were followed for an average of six years.
Scientists found that people in the 'high' group had a significantly lower risk of dying compared with people in the 'low' group: 12.1% vs. 24.7% over the six-year period. In addition, scientists showed a 32% lower risk of mortality for each additional 287 calories of energy expended per day.
This study brings a very important issue to light: it isn't about what you do for physical activity. According to recent studies, what seems to matter most is that you are doing something! Keep in mind: every little thing you do during the day helps your body to spend calories. So don't be discouraged if you are having trouble getting to the gym, just do your best to be a little more active every day. Every step can make a difference.
Lifting women to better health,
Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D.
(Manini et al. Daily activity energy expenditure and mortality among older adults. JAMA, July 12, 2006; 296;2.)
STRONGWOMEN GIVE BACK - THANK YOU!
I want to personally thank all of you who wrote and supported our StrongWomen Give Back campaign last month. Your support is very much appreciated. Each of you will be receiving a personal note from me shortly. The collective support will make a difference in our efforts to provide the highest quality, low-cost StrongWomen Programs to communities around the country. Thank You! For more information about the campaign, please go to: www.strongwomengiveback.org
UPCOMING STRONGWOMEN WORKSHOPS
Several upcoming StrongWomen Program workshops are scheduled for the next few months. In order to be eligible for StrongWomen training, you must be actively strength training right now, and you must have a firm commitment to starting a program in your community. This training is to teach you how to “lead” a StrongWomen Program, and should not be attended simply for informational/personal purposes.
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Date: March 28, 2008
Phone: (717) 394-6851
Registration deadline: April 25, 2007
For information email: nwiker@psu.edu
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Date: May 8, 2008
Contact: Robin Gammon
Phone: (573) 884-0971
Email: gammonr@missouri.edu
Registration deadline: April 4, 2008
Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Date: May 20, 2008
Registration Deadline: April 21, 2008
For information: flicking@co.rock.wi.us
Location: Loveland, Colorado
Date: May 20, 2008
Contact: Shirley Perryman
Email: shirley.perryman@colostate.edu
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Are the protein portions in the Strong Women Stay Slim program counted as raw or cooked? I am curious because one ounce of raw meat does not weigh the same as one ounce of cooked meat?
A: The protein portions for meat described in the book are based on the cooked weight.
Q: I have been strength-training for just over six months now. I have been able to increase the amount of weight I am lifting for almost every exercise on a regular basis. Will there ever be a time when I should stop increasing the weight?
A: The degree to which you decide to progress in your strength training program is up to you. There is no standard upper limit set for progression. It is common to improve quickly throughout the first six to nine months of your program; improvements tend to come more slowly after that point. You don't always have to increase the weight for each exercise to keep yourself challenged. If you are comfortable with the amount of weight you are currently lifting, try changing up your program a bit by adding new strengthening exercises. This will help you to avoid becoming discouraged or bored with your strength-training program. Keep in mind the biggest problem with women and strength training is that women tend not to lift enough weight. So keep progressing if you can to get the most bang for your efforts.
FROM THE MAILBOX: SUCCESS STORIES FROM INSPIRING WOMEN
I have been following the Strong Women Strong Bones program for six weeks and I already feel better and more independent. Thank you!
-Kathleen
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
| Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos |
Click Here for a Printable Version of the Recipe
I'm a huge fan of beans and sweet potatoes, so this new recipe will soon be a favorite! Plus, this is a dynamite nutritional combination -- the beans are high in fiber and protein and low in fat, and the sweet potato is an excellent source of beta-carotene. This tasty recipe comes from the Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter. Yields: 5 servings (2 tortillas each, with 1/2 cup filling per tortilla).
For other deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to http://strongwomen.com/recipes/
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